Sanitary storage and distribution apparatus

ABSTRACT

A portable container in the nature of a handbag or satchel configured with special compartments for the sanitary storage and transport of wet wipes, formula and/or breast milk, and other similar products and goods for the care of an infant, toddler, or small child.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/638,918, filed Mar. 5, 2018, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

This disclosure is related to the field of apparel and more particularly to a portable and attractive personal accessory for the sanitary storage and dispensing of wipes and other cleaning products.

Description of the Related Art

Parents of small children are familiar with the need to have certain materials on hand at all times, such as diapers, spare clothing, formula, breast milk, toys, and sanitary wipes. These and other materials have traditionally been stored in a portable container, such as diaper bag or backpack. However, these portable containers are generally unappealing, unattractive, and unsuitable for use in more professional environments.

Further, conventional handbags are not well-suited for quick access to needed products. Ordinarily, transporting wet wipes generally requires that a box of wet wipes be purchased, and some of the wet wipes be removed from that box and deposited into a smaller, more portable container, such as a sealable plastic sandwich bag or small special-purpose container for sealably transporting wet wipes. This portable container is itself stored within a storage compartment of the hangbag.

However, this means that when the user needs a wet wipe, the user must first locate the portable container within the handbag, remove the portable container, and then remove a wet wipe from the portable container for use. Often the contents of a bag are jumbled in transport, or during earlier rummaging for a different product within the bag. This can make it difficult and frustrating to locate the container of wet wipes. However, when there is a mess to clean up with a wet wipe, particularly when the mess concerns a young child, the situation is often tense, and time is of the essence. The time spent in searching a purse for wipes, and lost in retrieving and opening the wipe container and retrieving a wipe from it, may result in what was originally a small mess becoming much larger one in short order. As any parent knows, when the nature of the mess concerns the sanitary condition of a small child, every second counts, and minor accidents can quickly turn into stressful and anxiety-inducing disasters. This in turn often results in the parent forgetting to reseal the wipe container, or not fully or properly resealing it while in a rush. Thus, when the parent next requires wipes, the parent will be alarmed to discovery that the container has dried out.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following is a summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. The sole purpose of this section is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

Because of these and other problems in the art, described herein, among other things, is a portable container in the nature of a handbag or satchel configured with special compartments for the sanitary storage and transport of wet wipes, formula and/or breast milk, and other similar products and goods for the care of an infant, toddler, or small child.

In one embodiment, a container according to the present disclosure comprises: a first body portion defining a first hollow interior compartment accessible by a first opening; a second body portion attached to the first body portion and defining a second hollow interior compartment accessible by a second opening; a third opening disposed on the second body portion and providing access to the second hollow interior compartment; and a closeable element attached to the first body portion and configured such that when the closeable element is in a closed configuration, the closeable element closes the first opening, the second opening, and the third opening; wherein the container is the configuration of a handbag.

In a further embodiment, the first body portion is sized and shaped to accommodate a plurality of personal accessories.

In a further embodiment, the second hollow interior compartment is sized and shaped to receive a plurality of wet wipes.

In a further embodiment, the second hollow interior compartment is sized and shaped to receive a plurality of wet wipes in a stacked configuration.

In a further embodiment, the second opening is configured such that the second hollow interior compartment receives the plurality of wet wipes through the second opening.

In a further embodiment, the third opening is configured to cause only one wet wipe at a time in the plurality of wet wipes disposed in the second hollow interior compartment to be dispensed through the third opening.

In a further embodiment, the closeable element comprises a flap hingedly connected to the main body portion.

In a further embodiment, the second hollow interior compartment comprises a water-resistant interior liner.

In a further embodiment, the second hollow interior compartment comprises a water-proof interior liner.

In a further embodiment, the first body portion is generally in a rectangular configuration.

In a further embodiment, the container further comprises a holding element adapted to retain the closeable element in a closed position.

In a further embodiment, the closeable element is selected from the group consisting of: a magnet; a buckle; and a snap.

In a further embodiment, the second opening comprises a closeable element adapted to close the second opening independently of the closeable element.

In a further embodiment, the second closeable element is selected from the group consisting of: a zipper; a flap; a snap; a buckle; a press-seal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of a container according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 provides a front view thereof.

FIG. 3 provides a back view thereof.

FIG. 4 provides a right side view thereof.

FIG. 5 provides a left side view thereof.

FIG. 6 provides a top view thereof.

FIG. 7 provides a bottom view thereof.

FIGS. 8A and 8B provide a front view of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-7 in an open configuration.

FIGS. 9 and 10 depict a detail view of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-7 in an open configuration.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

The following detailed description and disclosure illustrates by way of example and not by way of limitation. This description will clearly enable one skilled in the art to make and use the disclosed systems and methods, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the disclosed systems and methods. As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the disclosures, it is intended that all matter contained in the description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

FIGS. 1-7 depict an embodiment of a portable container according to the present disclosure in a closed configuration. FIGS. 8-10 depict this embodiment in an open position. The depicted container (101) comprises a main body (102) surrounding a hollow interior accessible by a top opening (109). The size and shape of the hollow interior will vary from embodiment to embodiment, and generally is configured to accommodate the storage of a variety of personal products and accessories, such as those typically carried in a purse, diaper bag, hip pack, or other personal portable storage container. Examples include, but are not necessarily limited to, personal products (e.g., beauty and hygiene products), baby and child products (e.g., snacks, small toys), business products (e.g., mobile phone, planner), and the like. As will be clear to a person of ordinary skill in the art, the size and shape may also be influenced by subjective aesthetic preferences, such as personal tastes, fashion trends, and the social environment in which the container is intended to be carried. Thus, the size and shape of the interior for any give embodiment may be influenced by both functional and aesthetic considerations.

Although a top opening (109) is depicted, and typical, in any given embodiment, other positions or locations of the opening (109) are possible, such as lateral or ventral positioning.

The depicted container (101) comprises a closeable element (103) configured to seal or close, in whole or in part, the top opening (109). This closeable element (103) inhibits objects stored within the container from escaping during use or transport, and also provides security, such as by making it more difficult to pickpocket items from the container in a crowd without being detected. In the depicted embodiment, the closeable element (103) is a simple flap attached to the container in a hinge-like relationship such that the flip overlaps the top opening (109) and main body to cover the top element (109) when the flap is closed. Other closeable elements (103) are of course possible as alternatives or additions to such a flap, such as, but not necessarily limited to, a zipper.

When closed, the depicted closeable element (103) is held in closed configuration by a holding element (104), depicted as a pair of magnets (104) and (105) in the figures. It will be clear to a person of ordinary skill in the art that other closing elements known in the art may be suitable alternatives or substitutes, such as snaps, buckles, and the like. The position of the holding element (104) will also vary from embodiment to embodiment and again may depend on either or both functional and aesthetic considerations.

As can be seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, the depicted container (101) comprises a main hollow interior for storage accessible by a top opening (109). The hollow interior may be lined by a water-proof or water-resistant material. This allows for liquids, especially cold liquids in containers which may sweat, to be safely stored in the container (101) with minimum risk of damage to the container (101) interior.

In the depicted embodiment, the container (101) further comprises a second top opening (108) providing access to a second hollow interior compartment defined by a secondary body portion (107). The second hollow interior compartment may be lined by a water-proof or water-resistant material. This also allows for liquids to be safely stored in the second hollow interior compartment with reduced risk of damage in the event of sweating or spills. The interior of the main body and/or the second hollow interior compartment may further be insulated to inhibit the intrusion or escape of moisture or humidity.

In the depicted embodiment, the second compartment is also accessible by a second opening (106), shown disposed on the front of the second body portion (107). The depicted second opening (106) is a narrow slit, which provides access to the second hollow interior compartment. The depicted second hollow interior compartment in turn is sized and shaped to accommodate a stack of sanitary wipes, colloquially known as “wet wipes.” However, it an embodiment, the second hollow interior compartment may be configured to accommodate a different type of product. The second top opening (108) is sized and shaped to facilitate the insertion or placement of the stack within the second compartment via the second top opening (108). Once in place, the top wipe may be pulled through the second opening (106) in the same fashion that wipes are dispensed from conventional plastic storage boxes.

Because the interior of the second compartment is water-resistant and may be insulated to inhibit moisture escape, the wet wipes in the second compartment will tend to stay moistened for a longer period of time than in a conventional handbag, but without having to carry a specialized container for them. For a typical mother or parent, the rate at which the wipes will be used will generally deplete the supply before they naturally dry out. Moisture escape is further inhibited by the size and shape of the second opening (106), which includes overlapping components snugly fit together to inhibit moisture transfer. Similarly, the sides of the second top opening (108) are sized, shaped, and configured to fit snugly together to inhibit moisture transfer. Similarly, when the closable element (103) is closed, moisture transfer is further inhibited.

Although a clutch configuration is shown, these structures are applicable to any number of configurations of personal accessories and the particular arrangement will vary from embodiment to embodiment. For example, in a larger bag, the interior may contain multiple separate waterproof compartments to facilitate the storage of formula or breast milk in a bottle or portable bladder.

An aspect of the present disclosure is that the container may comprise two separate compartments—a first main storage compartment defined by the main body of the container for general-purpose use, and a second storage compartment defined by the secondary body for more specific-purpose use. In an embodiment, these compartments are separate form one another, facilitating the use of one compartment with a specific function—e.g., storage of a moistened product such as a wet wipe—without necessarily altering the design of the first compartment.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is that the closeable element (103) may be configured to close or seal both the main compartment and the secondary compartment. Because the user will typically close the main compartment during ordinary use and transport of the bag, the secondary compartment will also normally be resealed after a wipe is retrieved, and the user need not remember also to close it specifically. This inhibits accidentally non-sealing or mis-sealing of the wipe storage compartment, providing longer usable life of the wipes.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is that by including in the container a special-purpose compartment for storage of wet wipes, the need to store a removable container within the bag is eliminated. Thus, by positioning the wet wipes in a specific and predictable location on the hangbag, not only is the need for a second container stored within the hangbag eliminated, but the user can more quickly and easily access the wet wipes. This in turn means the mess in question may be addressed more rapidly, reducing stress and anxiety.

The elements described herein have been disclosed primarily with reference to wet-wipes, but the same structures may be used to store other materials as well. For example, the second compartment may be configured to hold a bladder of fluid, such as formula, breast milk, or water. The bladder may be inserted through the second top opening, and removable for cleaning and sanitation purposes, with a sealable opening for removing the liquid therefrom.

Additionally, it will be clear that the specific arrangement of the elements described is for illustrative purposes, and that other arrangements are possible. For example, in an embodiment, a handbag according to the present disclosure may contain a plurality of separate or connected secondary interiors for storing various items.

While the invention has been disclosed in conjunction with a description of certain embodiments, including those that are currently believed to be the preferred embodiments, the detailed description is intended to be illustrative and should not be understood to limit the scope of the present disclosure. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, embodiments other than those described in detail herein are encompassed by the present invention. Modifications and variations of the described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A container comprising: a first body portion defining a first hollow interior compartment accessible by a first opening; a second body portion attached to said first body portion and defining a second hollow interior compartment accessible by a second opening; a third opening disposed on said second body portion and providing access to said second hollow interior compartment; and a closeable element attached to said first body portion and configured such that when said closeable element is in a closed configuration, said closeable element closes said first opening, said second opening, and said third opening; wherein said container is the configuration of a handbag.
 2. The container of claim 1, wherein said first body portion is sized and shaped to accommodate a plurality of personal accessories.
 3. The container of claim 1, wherein said second hollow interior compartment is sized and shaped to receive a plurality of wet wipes.
 4. The container of claim 3, wherein said second hollow interior compartment is sized and shaped to receive a plurality of wet wipes in a stacked configuration.
 5. The container of claim 3, wherein said second opening is configured such that said second hollow interior compartment receives said plurality of wet wipes through said second opening.
 6. The container of claim 3, wherein said third opening is configured to cause only one wet wipe at a time in said plurality of wet wipes disposed in said second hollow interior compartment to be dispensed through said third opening.
 7. The container of claim 1, wherein said closeable element comprises a flap hingedly connected to said main body portion.
 8. The container of claim 1, wherein said second hollow interior compartment comprises a water-resistant interior liner.
 9. The container of claim 1, wherein said second hollow interior compartment comprises a water-proof interior liner.
 10. The container of claim 1, wherein said first body portion is generally in a rectangular configuration.
 11. The container of claim 1, further comprising a holding element adapted to retain said closeable element in a closed position.
 12. The container of claim 10, wherein said closeable element is selected from the group consisting of; a magnet; a buckle; and a snap.
 13. The container of claim 1, wherein said second opening comprises a closeable element adapted to close said second opening independently of said closeable element.
 14. The container of claim 12, wherein said second closeable element is selected from the group consisting of a zipper; a flap; a snap; a buckle; a press-seal. 